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Bruce Wayne
"It's because of people like you that I became this. And you'll never give me a reason to become someone else." Character Stat Sheet Public Information Batman is Gotham's own vigilante and a sometimes member of the Justice League, and if you're a Gotham criminal, he's probably behind you right now. Bruce Wayne is a billionaire playboy and constant source of material for page 6 of the Gotham Gazette. That said, he also does some charitable work and occasionally shows up at the office to steer the course of Wayne Enterprises. Background Few children could have had it as Bruce Wayne when he came into the world in 1979. Born to Thomas and Martha Wayne, one of the most respected, wealthy, and prominent families in Gotham, he was born into pure privilege. He was a bright and active child, showing his promise for genius early on. The usual arrogance and holier-than-thou attitude that might come from such a prosperous upbringing was tempered by both the love of his mother, and the stern but guiding hand of his father who always sought to teach him life lessons in difficult times, infused with strong morals and ethics and how important each and every life was, and make him reappraise his situation and understand the world around himself through seeing the world through other people's eyes. But they were not the only ones Bruce had to look up to, he also had the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth to look over him, and dispense (as he still does) sage wisdom to his younger master with a bond that would only continue to grow stronger as the years progressed. Bruce attended private schools, had the best teachers, and wanted for nothing due to the love and devotion that his parents would give him. The event, when it happened at age 7 was the most frightening thing in his life that had ever happened; it would turn out to be one of the most impacting moments of his life that would later define him. Bruce was outside the mansion, playing as boys will do at such an age when he came across some rotted wood he'd accidentally stepped over, causing him to fall into a cavern, startling a great many number of bats that suddenly filled his visions and screeched as they all soared past him. It was all his parents and Alfred could do to calm the boy, teach him afterwards that "when you fall, you pick yourself back up again." These words, too, would have a strong impact on Bruce in the years to come. But it would only be another year before true tragedy would strike. Coming home from the movies one night, Bruce and his parents were suddenly confronted by a mugger who had a gun pointed at them. Thomas tried to appease, and calm the mugger down but when the mugger showed no signs of calming down and started threatening Martha, Thomas tried to protect her and was brutally gunned down and Martha's death soon followed with a few more bullets. Bruce, for some reason, was left alive while the mugger looted the corpses of his parents and ran off before the police could get wind of what happened. Bruce was left, then, a shell of a boy. Alfred Pennyworth would pick Bruce up shortly thereafter at the police station, who'd only been comforted by a young James Gordon at the time for his loss; the man seeing and empathizing with the pain young Bruce was in. Bruce was shell-shocked, for a few days. But at the funeral of his parents, as he stood there with Alfred over his shoulder watching him, he swore then to do something about it. That he would rise up, and get justice for his parents. And that he would dedicate his life, and all his efforts, to crimefighting that this heinous act would never happen again as long as he could prevent it. And it was a decision that would shape and change his life forever, and begin the forging of Bruce Wayne into the Legend that he would become. He would begin this quest by using his vast family fortune to buy himself out of Social Services, and began embarking on a journey that would taken him to the four corners of the world. He pushed himself to graduate from High School at age 16, and studied hungrily at many different colleges in many different fields (though never earning a degree), traveled to Tibet, to tracking in Zulu, to sharp-shooting Fance, and even studied under the FBI as well as martial arts in Japan and even through the legendary David Cain over the next near-decade and would not return to Gotham until he felt satisfied he had the tools to fight crime with the proper mesh of body and mind, leaving Alfred to care for Wayne Manor in his absence. But he still wasn't quite there, not yet. As his quest for knowledge, skill, talent, and insight into the criminal mind continued, he ran into a very attractive woman named Talia al Ghul while training with the League of Assassins in the perilous mountains of North Korea. She - entranced Bruce, and that bothered him. He'd never met another woman who could detract him from his lifelong goal. Yet, she held everything he found. She was formidable, attractive, not ruled by emotions, and yet entirely passionate when she needed to be, which was usually just at the right time. They analyzed each other intensely, and found something similar in each others eyes. Want. Love. Need. They sparred. They made love. They fell in love. It didn't take long. Bruce believed he'd found a woman who was capable of understanding his need, his dream, and living it with him. It was a relief, a feeling beyond anything he could've asked for and for the first time in a very, very long time he was content. At least, until Ra's al Ghul came into the picture. Talia assured her father that Bruce would do well in the tests, excel where so many before him had failed. And Bruce's will, his training, his pure grit and cunning intellect saw him through those trials. And when he emerged, victorious, the prize was laid out for him. Talia's hand. In marriage. A literal army, to see crime washed away from the streets, and he taking the place of Ra's al Ghul as the leader of the League of Assassins. It was as if he had been given the lever to move the world, and all he had to do was to pull it. The choice was the hardest he'd ever had to make. And one that he oft afterwards debated if he made the right choice, but ultimately he knew that with such power beneath his will he could easily become the very thing he wished to fight against. Bruce parted ways with Talia, and with a promise from Ra's al Ghul that if Bruce Wayne did not take him up on the offer, Talia, and the League of Assassins would be gifted to Bane, a name that Bruce Wayne had not yet known and one that would come to haunt him in the years to come. His journey would take him, however, to meet another important man that would help Bruce become the supreme detective that he was, learning of, and tracking down the elusive Elijah Snow, much as Eljah had done with Sherlock Holmes. Impressed with young Bruce's tenacity and seeing himself in Bruce's eyes much as Holmes had seen in his own, Elijah Snow agrees to mentor Bruce in the ways of the supreme detective for a few months before Bruce pushes on, feeling himself ready now to take on the world. Often his mind traveled back to his training he'd received and to his love, but he knew he had to press on. He continued his training across the world, not being satisfied with the culmination of the process for several more years. Finally, when he, his own worst critic, believed himself ready he made his way home. He had the means, and methods, but not the way of it mapped out in his head. He could not have Bruce Wayne tied up into this, and he would have to create another persona. Be the Bruce Wayne that everyone expected him to be, while hiding the truth of it all within and leaving that to the criminal element to deal with. But he did not know how. Salvation would come to him one night when a large bat crashed through the window and his childhood memory, and fear, surfaced suddenly. He had one part of his answer. With one piece of the puzzle complete, Bruce now dedicated his time into opening the cavern he'd fallen into and using that as a base of operations beneath Wayne Manor, along with creating a costume and equipment that would allow him to fight crime in a way that no human ever had before him. He took on the 'Bat' motif and began to stalk the rooftops and streets of Gotham, first starting on the corrupt members of the GCPD and their cronies to pick up, which included the current Commissioner. It was during this time he forged a shaky alliance with James Gordon, Bruce remembering the man and knowing he was one of the most honest men that Gotham could hope for on the force. These actions would create rumors, myth, and suspicion about 'The Bat' that haunted the streets and appeared out of shadows as a harbinger of justice. At first, they were presumed by the populace and media, and even many members of the [[Gotham City Police Department] to be little more than fancies and rumor-mongering of the criminal element, until 2004 when Batman stopped Joker from poisoning the Gotham Reservoir which would be the first meeting between the two and create a foundation of arch-nemesis nearly unrivaled. And, as further elements would begin join the fray and assault against Gotham City, Batman would find himself at odds against such criminals as Catwoman, The Penguin, The Riddler, and others. This would slowly gain the long-held, and oft unanswered (at least in some people's minds) query of: Did Batman create the criminals, or did they create him? It was not too long after his first encounter with Joker that Bruce Wayne would come upon a young Richard Grayson who was performing with his family at the circus. He was horrified to watch, as the young boy's parents were killed in the tragic accident due to an extortion racket on the circus the Amazing Flying Graysons were performing at. Bruce felt an instant need to help the youth, and made him his Ward. What Bruce didn't count on was the young man's curiosity and persistence, and eventually, although very, very grudgingly Dick Grayson would become the first "side-kick" of Batman, taking up the name of Robin. The two crime-fighters begin taking to the streets, using savvy, tactics, surprise and fear to rule the criminal element, fighting both everyday criminals as well as larger crime bosses and psychopaths that would make their name into Batman's number of nemesis. One of these would be Deathstroke, the infamous mercenary who tracked down Batman after Robin had beaten his son. The two indomitable opponents clashed to a standstill, each recognizing the potential that the other man held and respecting it. Neither man would walk away happy. Through the continued efforts of Batman and Robin, Jonathan Crane is revealed to be the individual behind the Scarecrow and the one behind the fear toxins in another scare on Gotham City. Batman ensures that the man is put in his own prison, Arkham Asylum. Much to Bruce's dismay, however, Ra's al Ghul had not forgotten about him. Wishing to test the Detective again in his mettle to see if Bruce would be ready to join the League of Assassins, or become their enemy he kidnapped Robin. After much work, Batman manages to track the kidnappers back to the HQ of the League of Assassins where he faces off against the insidious, and all too-insightful mind of Ra's al Ghul. Neither man comes out a winner, but Batman does take Robin back to Gotham with him, more wary of the dangerous Ra's al Ghul than ever and still feeling the tear that separated him and Talia all the more for the experience. Still, the crime-fighters exploits would continue gain attention, both good and bad from the various elements in Gotham City. One of these instances of both combining together would be after Barbara Gordon had been reviewing and sympathizing, even agreeing to Batman's necessity in Gotham, despite her father's disapproval. James Gordon did not want his daughter getting into the same sordid elements and danger he did, and wished to protect her. His daughter had other ideas, and managed to culminate that into training and focus, enough to save Bruce Wayne during a Halloween socialite party he was hosting. The incentive that she showed ended up in Bruce taking her in as Batgirl, where she would get training for the next few months before being officially introduced into the Bat Family. For the next few years, things would go without too much difficult and seem rather ordinary. At least, as ordinary as they can when you're Bruce Wayne, and Batman all in one. Charity events were held, criminals apprehended, and those who managed to get out of Arkham Asylum put back where they belonged. The trio worked well together, along with their support. But rarely is there ever any peace, in war. And that war would come to a head in the living room of Police Commissioner Gordon. Barbara would come home to find her father at the mercy of the Joker who was trying to twist her father's mind into silly putty. In an effort to stop the mad psychopath, she was shot in the head, resulting in her being paralyzed from the waist down, even though the Joker's attempts were thwarted. The results of that action would be the first of more than a few burdens Bruce would weigh himself down with, beating himself mentally for not preparing Barbara enough, or himself not seeing all the threads and being able to stop it, even though Barbara didn't blame him at all and was only glad her father wasn't hurt. Bruce would be hurt again, when a long-time friend of his would become his enemy as Harvey Dent was transformed into Two-Face through a horrific accident and give the newly twisted mind of the once trusted, and vaunted District Attorney and friend of Bruce's a chance to come back and get the proper healing and treatment. When that offer was turned away, Bruce knew that Batman had another adversary to contend with, and it hurt him inside. Just further proof that even a friend can turn on you if the wrong circumstances present themselves. Between the events that befell, and simply nature taking it's course, Dick decided to leave the comfort of Batman's nest and move out on his own to Bludhaven, to take on the mantle of Nightwing. The two, mentor and ward, would remain close, even if they were a bit more contentious than they had been in the past as the younger man began to mature. This ended up, even if Batman would never admit it to himself, let alone anyone else, creating a sudden rift that he'd never thought would, could, exist with both of his students and protege's now having "left" the Bat Nest. It would be these factors, along with the pure talent and resolve of Jason Todd that would spurn Bruce to name him as the new Robin. While Jason is a bit more intense than his prior incarnation of the same title was, Bruce doesn't see that as a bad thing, especially after what happened to Barbara. When Lucius Fox was captured and taken to Markovia, Batman had little choice but to form a team, and thus created the Outsiders. It would be the first time that he would openly work with or in a team, especially one containing a gathering of super-powered heroes. After their successful recovery of [[Lucius Fox, Batman would base the Outsiders in Gotham so they not only could help him stop the larger crime element and dangerous psychopaths but so he could keep an eye on them as well. After their HQ in Gotham City is attacked, their HQ is then moved to Star City so that no more attention than needed is brought towards Gotham on Bruce's orders. But that would prove to be the least of Batman's troubles; the Joker was introduced back into the scene in attempt to wrack the Bat's brain by capturing Robin in a cunning trap, and try to twist the protege's mind. This time, he proved successful and ended up nearly breaking the new Robin, before killing him in front of Batman. While Batman was able to thwart and capture the Joker for the crime and nearly breaking his own oath of honor and killing Joker, he's able to stop himself. The event would haunt Batman, and change him. Batman became a harder, grittier, more intense Batman if that were even possible. Ruthless, he started to hunt down the criminal element on the borderline, but never quite crossing the own line he'd set for himself so many years ago. At first, he runs into a young Carrie Kelley, who was a friend of Jason Todd. Having discovered her friend's secret, Carrie Kelley had donned the old Robin costume and had been trying to work out what had happened to her friend. Batman, confronted with the audacity, incentive, and talent of the young girl calls in Nightwing to help him deal with the "situation". Eventually, she ends up joining the Bat Family, and getting training from both Batman and Nightwing as well as becoming Bruce's ward. Soon after the joining of the new protege, who took to calling herself Red Robin, another young student would confront Batman by the name of Timothy Drake, who surprised, and even managed to even if small measure, humble Bruce by confronting him with just how hard and over-the-edge Batman had been and that Batman's been going too far, risking putting himself into the same equation as the men and women he protected Gotham City from. Batman's impressed enough, though reluctant, to induct the young man into the Bat Family as well, and he's given the Robin name. With two protege's under his wing again, Batman continues to fight crime, unprepared and unlooking for the hell that is Bane to come into his life, the very man that had been promised to his love which only made Bruce all the more desperate to stop him. Determining the best way to fight the Bat is to let other people wear him down first, Bane frees the entirety of prisoners held in Arkham Asylum with the intent on wearing Batman and his Robin's down. The tactic works, and Batman's back ends up being broken by Bane. It takes him several months of hard work and physical therapy to recover, but his remarkable willpower, physique and condition make it far easier than anyone expected. When the Merge hit, and Gotham City was hit hard by it, Batman did what he could to ensure not only the safety of the citizens, as well as make sure that no new criminal elements were around. And while no trace of Bane could be found, his loyalists were clearly still around causing trouble in the chaos. But even the merge couldn't have prepared Batman for the next straw; a young boy showing up on his doorstep, calling him "Father". Damian Wayne had enough facts and biological proof that he was, indeed, Bruce's son much to the man's surprise, and carried with him words of love from his mother who conveyed that after the Merge she had felt it was unsafe to continue to raise Damian with the League of Assassins which had fallen into shambles. Instantly he felt a responsibility for the boy, though at the same time utterly clueless, despite the prior wards he'd helped raise, as to how to go about this. He'd never had a son, and now? There was one, half-grown, on his doorstep. After several months of training, observation and conversations on morals and ethics, Bruce's son becomes Black Robin and is allowed to patrol with Nightwing or Batman himself only. Personality Distant: In truth, there are quite a few reasons why Bruce Wayne is not the most sociable man about town when the facade is pulled away. Not only has the blatant murder of his parents psychologically affected him, but he is very reluctant (despite the number of people he seems to add into his mentoring) to get too close to anyone less they end up getting hurt because of what the Batman does. The fewer people who get close, the fewer casualties all around. To most people, Batman seems unapproachable, dark, grim, and a bit damn intimidating - which is exactly how he wants it. Indomitable: Perhaps one of his strongest traits is the amazing willpower he's forged for his mind; it facilitated his arrival into perhaps one of the world's best crimefighters. His sheer force of will is so strong it can cause those with much greater power than he to be cautious about him, and makes him a force to be reckoned with for people who far outclass him. Territorial: Gotham is HIS. Do not fight crime in Gotham, without his consent, or you WILL get a visit from Batman, and it won't be a pleasant one. Nobody wants to deal with a grumpy Batman. Gotham is his home, his responsibility, as are it's people. And the more beings in the city, the more the stronger criminal element will be drawn to it. As such, he is very reluctant to allow other super-powered beings or others into his city to fight crime. Protective: While Bruce Wayne doesn't have very many real friends, and Batman even fewer, those he does have he cherishes beyond words. Seeing the potential loss of anyone else important to him spurns him to wish to do nearly anything to ensure their safety. He feels the weight of responsibility for each person he sends into battle, with or without him. Their mistakes are his fault, and their injuries as well. This causes him to be unusually cold, and critical of the people he teams up with, or mentors. Barbara Gordon has been paralyzed. Jason Todd has been killed. And he'll be damned if anyone else is going to get hurt, on his watch. Compassionate: Despite the cold, calculating nature of Batman, and the over-indulgent, irresponsible and fraternity-like behavior that Bruce Wayne exhibits, the man behind both is actually quite compassionate, and in that regard every bit his father's son. He cares for mankind, especially the citizens of Gotham. From the homeless wretch to the somewhat naive wealthy socialite and all in between, he values each and every life. He donates exhorbitant amounts of money to various charity organizations to help improve the life of citizens in Gotham, and around the world and he's ready to risk his own life to protect them in times of danger. If he seems cold, he's cold for a reason; so that those people can live in comfort and peace without the onus of responsibility or concern that he alone feels he must shoulder to spare them that burden. Perfectionist: He is his own worst critic, and the worst critic of those around him too, with the seeming inability to offer such criticism in a constructive manner; he may be in the world's best in many aspects but tact certainly is not one of them in the slightest. He knows that he is a human playing in a world of super-powered beings, and dangerous psychopaths who will do anything and everything to destroy the world and see it burn. He bears the responsibility for several "children" that he mentors. To ensure that he is able to continue, that his charges don't suffer anymore than they need to, he drives himself and they to perfection, accepting nothing else of either of them. Healthy Paranoia: He walks that fine line between unreasonable paranoia, and a watchful eye. He's been in the business awhile, now, and realizes that not everyone is who they seem, and even a good man or woman can turn bad with the right incentive. Or that people with good intentions can be blinded by their dreams or inspirations and work chaos, or evil without realizing it in their wake. Therefore, Batman trusts very few people. This includes those who he might regularly work with, such as Superman, Wonder Woman or Martian Manhunter. He keeps a contingency plan on many of the world's strongest heroes "just in case" they turn bad for any reason in secure files (as examples he's got a plan to use white phosphorous on J'onn J'onnz if it comes down to it and has access to kryptonite in case it's needed for Superman or other Kryptonians, and has a number of contingency plans for other circumstances that could play out however unlikely. He's taken great pains, utilizing his detective skills, to learn as much as he can about both his enemies and allies, and is one of the few people in the world who just might know the majority of secret identities of people because of it - not that he shares this information with anyone he doesn't have to. There is a respect there, but also a very wary approach to it all from his end. Alter-Ego: Few people who have such are as divergent as Bruce Wayne is when it comes to separating their real-life personalities with those of their hero aspects. Bruce Wayne and Batman are like Yin & Yang. Most people are their real identities, and take up the mantle of being a superhero as a part of that self. It's the opposite for Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne is the mask, the philanderer and foppish man who throws elaborate socialite parties or is seen in celebrity magazines and papers is merely an act, albeit an amazing one, to throw any sense of suspicion off his trail. The fact of the matter is Batman is Bruce Wayne. Still, there are parts (as with any hero) that merge both men together; mainly their compassion and charitable natures. Logs * 1997-03-04 - Shared Moonlight - Bruce Wayne and Talia talk, spar and more. * 1997-07-18 - Divided by the Demon's Head - Bruce and Talia's romance is broken up by the arrival of Ra's al Ghul. * 2012-03-04 - The Understudy - In the wake of Jason Todd's death there's a new Robin in town. Batman finds out who it is. * 2014-08-19 - Opening Shots: A Guiding Light - Black Robin and Batman discuss how to defeat Doctor Light as well as passing on other lessons in crime fighting. * 2014-08-23 - Opening Shots: Party Crashers - Bruce Wayne's celebrates the restoration of Wayne Manor with a party but gets some guests he wasn't counting on. * 2015-02-17 - The League's Limits - The senior members of the Justice League (Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Aquaman - with a brief, telepathic appearance by Martian Manhunter) convene to discuss the status of the world. It becomes clear that something is afoot beneath the Earth's oceans... Category:DC Features Category:Regular Characters Category:Major Characters Category:Humans Category:Celebrity Category:Bat Family Category:Genius Level Intellect Category:Iron Will Category:Wealthy Category:Justice League Category:Family Matters Category:1979 Births Category:Super Scientist Category:Applying Characters Category:Taken Characters